Jingtong Old Trail Introduction
The Jing Tong Old Trail has a history of at least a hundred years, originating during the Qing Dynasty when residents of Shui Fan Jiao (now known as Xizhi) crossed mountains and ventured into Jing Tong Keng to cultivate land and settle. They traveled between Pingxi and Xizhi, using shoulder poles to transport various goods, thus creating a mountain path. During the Japanese colonial period, the mining of coal in the Pingxi area led to an influx of people, making Pingxi a mining hub. Although the Pingxi railway was constructed mainly for transporting coal, the Jing Tong Old Trail remained an important transportation route to Xizhi. Along the trail, there is a large rock with a prominent ancient stone tablet standing upright. Although the inscription is somewhat faded, it can still be discerned, stating "Road Opening Commemorative Tablet," which was erected during the Japanese era when the road was established, marking an important heritage site along the Jing Tong Old Trail. After 1971, as roads connecting Pingxi to Muzha, Ruifang, and Xizhi were opened, the old trail gradually became deserted, leaving only mountain climbers to explore. The Jing Tong Old Trail starts at the Dongshan River Valley trailhead on the Xi Ping road, traverses the Shih Puan Tzu mountain area, crosses the highest point at Panshi Ridge where it overlaps with the Xi Ping road, and continues into Pingxi District passing through Rou Ban Ka, Niao Chao Qi, Yun Wu Gu, and Mo Shen Zai Cave to reach Jing Tong Keng. The entire trail is divided into two sections: the Xizhi section, which starts at the entrance on Dongshan Road after crossing Ren'ai Bridge; and the Pingxi section, which is clearly located opposite the Tudi Gong Temple at Panshi Ridge. The Xizhi section features cultivated fields and scattered farmhouses among the mountains, while the Pingxi section has a dense forest that presents considerable challenges.
